


Angels On the Sideline Again, Wondering When This Tug of War Will End.

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Series: Evil Author Day 2018 [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), NCIS, Stargate Atlantis, Supernatural, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Archangel's cast down as humans upon their death, Evil Author Day, the angel's and their human selves are seperate personalities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 23:53:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13692465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: In which the Archangels each learn their lessons about Free Will.





	Angels On the Sideline Again, Wondering When This Tug of War Will End.

**Author's Note:**

> My final offering for Evil Author Day.

_Angels on the sideline,_   
_Puzzled and amused._   
_Why did Father give these humans free will?_   
_Now they're all confused._   
_~Tool, Right in Two_

* * *

Part One: Raphael

He’d studied medical science once, and run from it as fast as he could after a while. It wasn’t because he kept diagnosing himself with numerous diseases, but because he felt a pull towards the medical sciences that he couldn’t explain or understand. It made his skin crawl. On the one hand, he wanted to be right in there on the front lines, but on the other, he felt like he shouldn’t allow himself to draw close. So he turned his attention to physics and the stars instead. And he’s never looked back, until today.

* * *

Rodney’s hand closes around thin air, the soft cord of the Village Elder’s necklace just slipping through his fingers, the angel shaped glass vial shattering on the floor.

“Close your eyes!” McKay screams, unaware of whatever instinct makes him do so. He watches the blue hued light rise up from the remains of the glass vial, and he closes his eyes, breathing it in deeply. Something in him accepting that this blue light belongs to him. It is _his,_ and he is its. A powerful shock wave rips through the universe, and Rodney stumbles under the pressure of voices crying out in his mind.

_‘Raphael.’_

_‘Ne’s awake.’_

_‘Ne’s alive.’_

_‘Where’s ne been all this time?’_

Rodney screams, falling to his knees as memories rise up in his mind, memories he knows it is impossible for him to have.

* * *

_There is the sound of a child’s laughter, and ne feels a swell of some nameless energy within nem at the sound. Connections fire and spark in nir brain that ne does not yet comprehend, but it doesn’t matter to nem._

_“Gabriel, remember not to wander into the Garden, won’t you?” nir voice says, distorted and loud, created not with a voice box, but out of the pure energy of sound itself._

_“I’ll be able to go into the Garden someday, though, won’t I, Raphael?” the fledgling before nem asks. Ne glows with more of the nameless energy as more connections fire and spark in nir brain._

_“Of course, Gabriel. Someday, when Father is ready to show you His newest creation.”_

* * *

_“Michael, no.” the sound falls from nem, almost before ne realizes ne is manipulating it. The energy that swells and glows within nem has names that ne knows now. Pain. Fear. Anguish. The connections that fire and spark in nir brain are emotions. Ne is not supposed to have emotions._

_“Michael, don’t do this.” Gabriel calls, but Gabriel is ever the baby, ever the fledgling, and no one will ever listen to nem._

_“Goodbye, Lucifer.”_

* * *

_“We’re tired. We just want it to be over. We just want… paradise.”_

* * *

_“Do I look like I’m joking?”_

* * *

_“You let the demon go? But not your own brother?”_

_“The demon I have plans for. But not you.”_

* * *

“Rodney? Rodney!” Ne is wrenched from nir thoughts by the sound of voices screaming nir human name. _Nir human name._ Father, has ne truly been human all this time? “Rodney? Buddy, can you hear me?”

_Oi, literal blob of cosmic energy, answer the man, would you?_

The part of ne that is human proclaims loudly in nir mind, and ne stiffens, before allowing nir consciousness to shift to the back, letting the human come forth.

“John?” Rodney calls, voice quiet and confused sounding. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, thank God, Rodney!” Sheppard exclaims, relief clear in his voice, a band around Rodney’s chest loosening, and Rodney realizes he’s being cradled against Sheppard’s chest. Rodney looks up at John’s face and frowns at the blood he can see dribbling down both sides of John’s face, and from his eyes.

“John, you’re bleeding!”

_He’s lucky he’s not dead._

The part of him that is Raphael states quietly, Rodney sends an internal glare nir way.

_Next time you wanna light up the place, tell me before you do it, alright?! Moron!_

Rodney berates his angelic self; Raphael would find this hilarious at any other time.

“Yeah, buddy. We’re all bleeding, but you. We were kinda hoping you knew what the hell just happened?”

“That depends.” Rodney says slowly, pushing away from Sheppard and climbing gracefully to his feet. “How much do you believe in angels?”

“What?”

“Aren’t they mythical beings on your home planet?” Ronon asks, Raphael scoffs in the back of Rodney’s mind.

_I always said it was a mistake to keep our presence confined to Earth._

_Yeah, cos you’ve done such a great job watching over Big Blue._

“Yehep, those are the angels I’m talking about, Conon.” Rodney says before he starts laughing. “But, oh boy, is Carson gonna be disappointed. No fluffy, cuddly, and helpful angels exist, unless you count the cherubs.” He continues, shuddering.

_Please do not speak of them. I’m almost afraid you might summon one._

_Oh, damn, is that an actual, serious concern?_

_No, but if you think about them for too long, one of them might come looking._

_Gotcha._

“Rodney?”

“Let’s just get the big reveal over and done with, huh? Because I really wanna go back to Atlantis and get my sleep on. Well, not so much my sleep on, because I don’t need that anymore. But I’d like to get my relaxation on.” Rodney says, then letting himself fall to the background as Raphael comes forth.

“Rodney, you’re kind of scaring us here, buddy.”

“I am the Archangel Raphael. Saint Raphael. The Healing Hand of God. Master of the Air. Angel of the West Wind.” Raphael states, lightning crackles through the air, illuminating the shadows of three pairs of wings extending from Raphael’s back. “This galaxy requires cleansing, and I shall lead the way.”

_Whoa there, Cosmic Blob, don’t you think that’s getting a little ahead of ourselves here?_

_I am the Healing Hand of God, Rodney. This galaxy needs to be cleansed of the Wraith._

_Yeah, but not even the Ancients could defeat them._

_Pah. You speak of the Nephilim. They were unfit to survive to begin with. All they ever did was flee from that which might do them harm._

_Well, I can’t argue with you there. They did kind of flee their home world. And then they fled the Milky Way because of the plague, and then they fled here because of the Wraith, and then they fled life for Ascension._

_‘Yes. I am aware of the so called -Ascended-. When this galaxy is purged from the Wraith, I shall turn my sights to the Higher Plains. And Justice shall finally be meted out in due course.’_ Raphael warns, using the Angel Radio.

_Whoa, don’t go starting shit you don’t want to finish. We don’t have the skills to fight a full scale war against the Ascended._

The sound of weapons being readied seems to draw Raphael from nir conversation with Rodney, and ne sighs at the sight of guns now aimed at nem.

_Later_

Ne informs Rodney, who huffs but doesn’t fight the decision.

“What have you done with Rodney McKay?” Sheppard demands, eyes hard.

“Rodney is still here, Commander Sheppard. However, he and I share this vessel now.”

“Aha, we’ve heard _that_ before. _Sharing._ Strangely, I’m not reassured.” Raphael frowns at the commander in confusion before Rodney offers up his memories of the Goa’uld and Tok’ra.

“Parasites!” Raphael growls, anger swirling through nem. “Blasphemers. We let them flee from Earth a long time ago on the condition they never return. What have you done?” Raphael’s eyes narrow at Sheppard, but Rodney sends forth the information about the uprising on Abydos against Ra, and then Ra’s eventual death, followed by a memory of camera footage showing Apophis taking an Airman through the Stargate.

“So you know of the Goa’uld then?” Sheppard asks, casually.

“Of course I know of them. They amused my sibling so they were allowed to survive.” Raphael states, sending Rodney a memory.

* * *

_“But look at them, Raphael. They’re so pathetic it almost feels wrong to kill them.”_

_“Michael, they cannot be allowed to remain here. They are taking humans and scattering them through the stars. It cannot be abided.”_

_“They’re not doing harm, Raphael. Father created the other planets for the purpose of catering to life, and the Nephilim have seeded life on the other planets, if you recall. These creatures are merely adding more genetics to the pools of the other planets, since it will take these humans centuries to create the necessary vessels to carry them out into space.”_

_“Somehow I feel that Father intended the humans that populated other planets to have knowledge of Him. These creatures take the identities of the_ pagans _and make the humans worship them. The Nephilim, at the very least, left record of Father’s greatness on those planets they seeded, though I have no doubt it has long been forgotten now. Sibling, nothing good will come of letting these creatures stay here.”_

_“Very well, send Gabriel to drop hints to the humans about a revolution. Have him find the creature who goes by Ra, and impart the knowledge that they may live so long as none of their kind ever set foot on Earth again.”_

_“Very well. It shall be done.”_

* * *

“They _amused_ your sibling?” Sheppard scoffs, but Raphael can hear the anger in his voice. Ne rolls nir eyes.

“Michael was easily amused by things during the time of Ra’s rule on Earth.” Raphael admits with a sigh. “To be perfectly honest, it’s the only reason Gabriel got away with running off to join the Pagans. If he’d waited a few more centuries, Michael would have utterly destroyed him. Not that Gabriel was all that worried about that…” Raphael muses quietly.

 _‘You called?’_ A _very_ familiar voice says over the Angel Radio, and Raphael’s eyes widen, ne snaps nir fingers to freeze the humans in place while ne talks with nir sibling.

_‘Gabriel?’_

_‘Yehep. Been wondering what happened to you, bro.’_

_‘I became human.’_

_‘Yes, I got that impression when you reclaimed your grace. I think the whole universe felt it.’_

_‘Well if you felt it, I assume so.’_

_‘Why? Where are you?’_

_‘Pegasus Galaxy.’_

_‘Whoa. Shit. Okay. Didn’t know we had the technology for that yet.’_

_‘Technically, we don’t. Technically, we’re using the technology left behind by the Nephilim’_ Raphael says, only for Rodney to send nem memories of the Asgard and their technology. _‘Oh, and apparently we also have assistance from those little grey aliens your_ friends _adopted into the fold.’_

_‘Shit, they found the gate? And wait, you mean the Asgard?’_

_‘Yes.’_

_‘Damn, how come you get to boogie in another galaxy and I’m stuck here on Earth battling aliens who can’t take -fuck no- for an answer?’_

_‘It’s not a picnic out here, either.’_

_‘Oh yeah, believe that when I see it! The Asgard are mine, dammit. How come I don’t get to have fun with their tech?’_

_‘Are you a techie in this life, too?’_

_‘Tony Stark.’_ Raphael has to take a moment to sift through the thoughts Rodney sends nem, since most of them are soaked by the emotional equivalent of ‘holy fucking shit, holy shit’. Raphael smirks when ne is finished going through the information from Rodney.

_‘Apparently, I attempted to poach you for the Atlantis mission, but your secretary couldn’t get you to look at any of the forms.’_

_‘What? Dammit. I fucking hate Tony sometimes!’_ Raphael laughs softly and shakes nir head.

_‘You know, if you could create a power source strong enough to dial the Stargate to another galaxy, you could come on over and play.’_

_‘Hmm. Who are you to the human world, first? I don’t wanna say yes and find out you’re like some total loser. No offence.’_

_‘Yeah, right, none taken. Rodney McKay.’_

_‘Okay, one sec. Tony’s geeking the fuck out.’_

_‘Yeah, Rodney did the same for you.’_

_Tony Stark knows who I am. Oh my God! Wait, shit, sorry._

Rodney flusters internally for a few seconds before Raphael puts him at ease.

_No, go on. My Father does not mind the use of His name so long as you are not using it for evil._

_Right. Good to know. Thanks. This is so weird._

_Yes._

_‘Okay. Okay.’_ Gabriel exclaims, coming back onto the radio. _‘Geek out over. Apparently Tony is in love with Rodney’s brain.’_

_‘Yeah, Rodney’s in love with Tony’s.’_

_‘Okay, let’s just hope like fuck that Umabel never, ever finds us, okay?’_ Raphael’s eyes widen and ne looks around suspiciously as if expecting nir sister to appear out of nowhere spouting about her sphere of influence.

_‘Hi.’_

_‘No.’_ Gabriel and Raphael exclaim at the voice that calls to them over the radio.

_‘That’s not fair. You summoned me.’_

_‘We did not.’_ Raphael states, cringing. _‘But all the same, hello, sister.’_

_‘Hello, sibling. Have you settled on a gender denomination yet? I know how you so love to be female.’_

_YOU!_ Rodney screams in Raphael’s mind. _You. It’s your fault I got stuck with Meredith my entire life! Damn you._

_‘My human self is male, sister. But I still feel inclined towards being female.’_

_Dammit, we’re so discussing this later. Fucking Meredith!_

_‘Hmm, and what about you, Gabriel?’_

_‘I’m totally a guy this time around.’_

_‘Excellent, so now that pleasantries are over. Mind explaining why you were talking about me?’_

_‘Uh.’_ Gabriel exclaims, and Raphael can feel his discomfort.

_‘And actually, why can I feel my Influence strongly upon the both of you?’_

_‘Uh.’_

_‘Oh.’_ Umabel states. _‘If you’re trying to steal my sphere, I should warn you that I’ve become immensely powerful over the last few thousand years, and I won’t take kindly to interference.’_

 _‘No, no, no, no.’_ Raphael exclaims, horrified _. ‘No one is trying to poach your sphere. Our human selves simply have a great interest in it. That is all.’_

_‘Hmm.’_

_‘Just out of curiosity, who are you in the human world?’_ Gabriel asks, and now that he has, Raphael finds that ne is interested as well.

‘ _No one either of you shall meet for a very, very long time.’_

 _‘Oooh, I wondered why I could feel time energy from you.’_ Gabriel exclaims.

 _‘Don’t steal my sphere!’_ Umabel announces at them before her presence fades from the radio.

 _‘That went better than expected.’_ Gabriel says, feeling relieved.

 _‘Indeed.’_ Raphael answers, frowning at the memories Rodney sends nem of Teal’c.

_‘So you’re my big sister again, huh?’_

_‘Perhaps. Rodney is not pleased.’_

_‘Yeah. Tony told me about the Meredith thing.’_

_I’m going to fucking kill that-_

_‘Rodney’s going to try and attack you when we next meet.’_

_‘I don’t blame him, honestly. Meredith. In this day and age? What were your parents thinking?’_

_‘Well, in this life, I managed to draw the lottery on crappy parental figures yet again.’_

_‘You too, huh?’_

_‘Yehep. Think all of us have shitty parentals this go around again?’_

_‘Probably. Look, I gotta go. Fury’s being a bitch about something. Chat later?’_

_‘Sure. And we can discuss you moving to Atlantis.’_

_‘I am so already all over that. Catch ya later, sis.’_ Gabriel’s presence fades and Raphael returns nir attention to the humans of Rodney’s team before Rodney can start asking questions. They unfreeze with a snap of nir fingers.

“Right. Uh, your siblings aside, could we speak with Rodney?” Sheppard asks, a frown forming on his face as his instincts inform him time has progressed while his mind logically argues against the point.

“Of course you can speak with Rodney, but if I’m still in here, how are you ever going to believe it is truly Rodney you are speaking with?” Raphael questions, raising an eyebrow.

“That is a good point. Maybe you can come out of Rodney for a bit?” Raphael starts laughing and shakes nir head.

“It may have escaped your notice that your ears and eyes were bleeding just recently, during the time I was uncontained. If you’d like your eyes to be burned out of your sockets and your brain to turn to mush, I will gladly vacate this body. However, Rodney seems very fond of you and I’d hate to upset him.”

_Leave them alone. They’re idiots, but they’re mine._

_Ours._

_Yes, fine. Ours._

“You mean that light was you?” Teyla queries, Raphael nods.

“That light is a representation of my true form. Since my true form is about the size of Saturn, it wouldn’t do to go letting that out all the time. So what you see is my Grace. My life force. The noise you heard was that of my true voice, stifled though it was in deference to your pitiful human hearing. The true form and voice of angels are not for humans to witness. That is why they hurt you to behold.”

“So you could leave Rodney, but it’d be dangerous for everyone here?” Ronon asks, his eyes going to the shattered glass vial on the floor.

“It would be dangerous for all of you here, yes. I would not be affected.” Raphael answers, shaking nir head. “Unlike the Goa’uld, or even the Tok’ra, I do not require anything but my grace to sustain me. My kind take vessels because it allows us to walk among humans without harming them. We don’t _need_ them, however. And, again, unlike the Tok’ra or the ‘Goa’uld, we require explicit permission from a vessel before we are allowed to enter them.”

“What does that mean?” Sheppard asks, voice suspicious.

“It means that if Rodney had not accepted my offer of joining, I would have left. Perhaps gone to cause trouble among the Ascended. However, now that Rodney and I have joined, I will not leave, unless forced to do so in order to save Rodney’s life. Rodney is not simply my vessel, he _is_ me. In human form.” Raphael explains. “With vessels, angels _must_ obtain permission to use them. And the weaker the angel, the more control a vessel can have in forcing an angel out if they no longer wish to host. A strong vessel and a strong angel can fight strenuously for control of the body if the vessel suddenly decides to no longer be a vessel. Rodney and I are one. Were we to part now, the consequences upon Rodney could be incredible.”

_What?!_

“Normally when angels leave vessels, their vessels become empty shells, their organs continue to work, but there’s not really all that much going on upstairs anymore, just enough to keep them breathing. It is something that can be avoided, but takes a lot of time and care that most angels don’t feel the need to take. In the case of Rodney. He and I are the same being. He is simply a human manifestation of me. As the primary, now that I have joined with him again, his memories are mine. His life is mine. If I were to remove myself from him, it is likely he will have no memory of himself.” Raphael pauses as Rodney throws memory after memory at nem of something called Second Childhood.

_Yes, Rodney. It would be like that._

_Don’t. Don’t leave._

_I don’t plan to._

“Rodney is showing me his memories of Second Childhood. Essentially, if I leave now, that is what Rodney will once more become. I do not know if I could keep that from happening. It’s possible that if I left, Rodney would simply keep his memories up until he accepted me back into him. I don’t know.”

“If you knew this would happen, why did you go back into him at all?” Sheppard asks angrily.

“I was in that glass vial you all watched shatter on the floor. If I hadn’t entered Rodney, all of you would be dead. There was simply not enough time to leave before you all roasted under the light of my true form. Besides that, Rodney was always meant to find me. This is part of some lesson my Father is trying to teach me. And I cannot learn it if I’m not with Rodney.”

“You speak as if Rodney’s consciousness is separate from your own. Will this always be the case?” Teyla queries, Raphael frowns.

“Perhaps. I am not certain. Normally, when an angel turned human reclaims their grace, their human selves and their angelic selves blend to wholly become one. Whether Rodney and I will become like that is something I can’t know unless it happens. Though I doubt either of us will truly ‘cease to be’. For one, Rodney is very definitely male, yet I have always leaned towards female. As Rodney has already discovered, it is incredibly likely that the reason his parents named him ‘Meredith’ was a Gift from my Father, on the off chance Rodney swayed towards female like I do.”

_I hate you._

“Furthermore. Rodney leans towards physics. I lean towards medicine. I am the Healing Hand of God, after all. Perhaps if we do not truly mesh, it would be possible for me to create a blank slate clone of Rodney and transfer myself into it, leaving behind just enough of my Grace within Rodney so he would not lose his memories. But that’s something so far in the future it’s not even worth thinking about.”

_Yes, it is._

_No, it isn’t. I’d need help with it. Angelic help._

_Get Gabriel to help._

_Gabriel has never been about the health sciences._

_Yeah but he’s been about the creating artificial intelligences._

_True. We’ll see._

_Hey, wait, can you change our appearance?_

_Why do you ask?_

_Because if you wanna be all girly, you can change your appearance into a girl when you’re in control, and change back when I’m in control._

_That could actually work, but we’d have to talk to the others about it._

_Yeah, whatever, just don’t go letting them call you Meredith while you’re wearing my face. Only my sister gets away with that._

_They shall be calling no one Meredith. I will be Raphael._

_Good._

“If we bring you back to Atlantis, are you gonna try and destroy us?”

“If I wanted to destroy you, Sheppard. My true form would have been the last thing you ever saw.” Raphael replies, rolling her eyes.

“Right. Let’s… head on back then.”

* * *

“You’re kind of freaking me out.” Sheppard says, as they march back towards the gate. “Rodney’s normally complained about his feet like ten thousand times by now.”

“Oh?” Raphael asks, smirking internally at Rodney.

_Fuck off._

“I admit, walking seems incredibly pointless when one can simply fly to their destination near instantaneously. Perhaps Rodney merely feels the same.”

_True. The Puddle Jumpers could totally have taken us to and from that stupid village._

“Near instantaneously? Fly?” Sheppard asks, eyes alight. Rodney snorts in the back of Raphael’s mind.

_Moron Flyboy._

“Of course. My flight time is whatever I wish it to be at any given moment. Most angels use the near instantaneous flight for emergencies or whenever they’re being summoned. Others use a slower flight for clearing their heads or staving off boredom.”

“So your wings aren’t just for show?”

“No.” Raphael answers, smiling. “It is a great crime to clip an angel’s wings, unless in punishment as meted out by Michael or Gabriel. An angel is no longer considered an angel when they are grounded. To be without your wings, you aren’t even Fallen. Even Lucifer still has his wings.”

“Why do your wings look like shadows?” Ronon questions, glancing back at Raphael.

“Normally, human eyes cannot perceive our wings. All they ever see are shadows. Sometimes, if we put a little bit of grace into it, our wings become visible for small periods of time. Normally, we only do that when we need to use them for protection, they’re pretty incorporeal otherwise.”

“You know; you don’t seem as inclined to insult people as Rodney does.” Sheppard points out, Raphael snorts.

“You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m currently being on my best behaviour since we just met and Rodney likes you, so I’d rather not have to smite you for taking insult to my opinions.”

“Smite?”

“Utterly eradicate from existence?”

“Got it. We’ll try not to piss you off?”

“Please, humans naturally piss angels off. I think Father made you that way to spite us.”

“Huh.”

* * *

The moment they step through the gate into Atlantis, Raphael’s body tingles with energy, and her eyes light up. Atlantis seems to sense something about Raphael, too, because the City’s lights brighten.

 _Who knew Carson would have this much of an impact on you?_ Rodney snarks, Raphael grins.

 _Carson and Jennifer and Biro and the entire Med Corps. They’re_ mine.

 _Whoa, okay. Is Umabel gonna be like this if we ever meet her?_ Rodney asks as they’re lead towards isolation. Raphael’s attention drawn to Carson.

 _Yehep. Sometimes we can get fiercely protective of the people in our sphere. If I’m being brutally honest, every single person on this expedition is_ mine. _Because explorers also fall under my purview._

_I forgot about that. How come Tony and I were both drawn towards Umabel’s sphere?_

_Technically, Tony falls under Ieilael’s sphere. Since Tony’s an ironmonger, but he also falls under Gabriel’s sphere. Since Tony creates communication devices, and communication is all Gabriel. He falls under Umabel for the sciences. And he actually falls under me for the fact he’s also an explorer. A lot of humans fall under multiple angelic spheres. You spent most of your life outside of my sphere, however._

_Yeah, I ditched anything that made me feel like I was being drawn towards something I wanted more than anything, but that made my skin crawl at the same time._

_And yet, you went exploring._

_I got bored._

_Mhm._

Raphael hops up on the bed in isolation, and allows Carson to do his checks. Answering questions amicably and placing a minor blessing on Carson before the doctor leaves the room. Satisfied with herself, Raphael lies back on the bed and closes her eyes.

_So what’d you do to Carson?_

_It’s a blessing. It’ll heal anything that’s not quite correct within Carson, and inspire him to complete any projects related to medical science that are currently stalling out on him._

_Seriously?_

_Yes. It’s a very minor blessing. I couldn’t do more without alerting everyone to the fact that I’d done something._

_Why?_

_Because any blessing stronger than what I bestowed on him would cause him to glow._

_Ah. That Carson’s a clone, you know?_

_I did think there was something a little off about him. But the original is still alive._

_Yes, how did you know?_

_It’s hard to explain. But I’d have felt it._

_Okay?_

_‘I hope you guys totally broke away from Earth like ages ago, sis.’_ Is Gabriel’s greeting as he returns to the radio. _‘Because they seriously have the resources to make contact with you guys, and have had for years, and there’s no record here of them even trying.’_

_WHAT?!_

_‘They abandoned us out here?’_

_‘Yeah, it looks that way. I’m… pretty pissed about this.’_

_‘As am I.’_

_They just abandoned us? We thought they just didn’t have the resources to get out here. But they just-_

_We’ll find out why._

_‘I’m seriously just considering sweet talking Loki into immigrating to the Pegasus Galaxy with me, and casually encountering the Expedition once on that side of the pond.’_

_‘That could work. Wait, Loki?’_

_‘Er, yeah, turns out that in addition to the little grey alien Asgard, and the pagan god Æsir who actually did originate on Earth, there’s also alien Æsir who live on Asgard, which appears to be another realm attached to Yggdrasil.’_

_‘Well, that explains where the Yggdrasil myths came from.’_

_‘Yehep! But anyway, Loki’s from yet_ another _realm called Jotunheim. He was -_ adopted- _by Odin.’_

_‘Why do I not like the way you said that?’_

_‘Because I don’t know about you, but something sounds fishy about -saving- a baby Frost Giant Prince from freezing to death inside a frozen temple on an ice planet you’ve just totally trampled in a war.’_

_‘No, what are you talking about, that doesn’t sound suspicious_ -at all-.’

_‘Right? Anyway, Loki’s been through some shit. Has some really bad daddy issues. My daddy issues compliment his daddy issues, we made a thing. We’re a thing. And I have to talk him out of destroying the planet like five thousand times a day, so if I could provide him numerous opportunities of destroying things that aren’t our planet, I’d be happy. He’d be happy. Everyone’d be happy.’_

_‘Isn’t there some rule about sleeping with yourself?’_

_‘Haha, very funny. And actually, no there isn’t. I checked. Well, I didn’t need to check, I remembered.’_

_‘No, I’m sure it was a sin. I’m sure of it.’_

_‘Don’t even. Humans are like the worst fucking listeners in the history of existence. I fucking swear.’_

_‘You’re not wrong. So, are you coming out here, or?’_

_‘Yeah, probably. You guys need anything?’_

_‘If you could find a planet out here and grow -coffee like- beans, literally the entire expedition will love you.’_

_‘Right, so I’m stealing the coffee beans from the Garden.’_

_‘Gabriel!’_

_‘What? It’s not like anyone uses them anyway, what with the whole ‘thou shalt not eat of this tree’ thing, like, whoa, Dad, chill. You shoulda known you couldn’t hoard the coffee forever.’_

_Coffee was the forbidden fruit?_

_The cherries were, yes._

_I feel like half of Earth would die if they found out they daily partake of the Forbidden Fruit._

_And that is why we let humans think Eve ate an apple._

_I’d kill so many things for some coffee._

_‘True. I’d have disobeyed Father for the coffee, too.’ Raphael states, sighing._

_I guess that would be the angel equivalent to killing a bunch of people…_

_Shut up, Rodney._

_‘Right? Good on Eve, I say. And what was Dad even thinking? Putting that sort of temptation in front of humans and sealing the deal by telling them not to eat it? Dad, you made them, why don’t you know that the thing they do above all is the opposite of what you tell them?’_

_‘I guess that’d be what you would call selective ignorance.’_

_‘True. So you guys need anything other than the Forbidden Fruit?’_

_‘I think we just need coffee. Otherwise, we’ve set up a pretty good trading network with the rest of Pegasus.’_

_‘You don’t want reinforcements?’_

_‘From Earth?’_

_‘No, from the Cage._ Yes, _from Earth.’_

_‘No. Unless there are people you absolutely don’t want to leave behind.’_

_‘There are a few people, but they won’t come with. So I’ll just have to visit them every so often. Oh, and I’m bringing my kids.’_

_‘What? You have kids?!’_

_‘Settle down, they’re AI. Kind of. I mean, they started out as AI, and now they’re human but not quite human.’_

_‘You created new life? Gabriel.’_

_‘Look, it was an accident, okay?’_

_‘An accident you repeated enough times to have kids, plural?’_

_‘An accident I repeated four times. But it’s not like I_ planned _it.’_ there was a very minor pause before Gabriel added _‘And like, technically I created five kids. But one of them was like bat shit insane, crazy evil, bad, so he had to be put down. He woulda made Lucifer happy, though.’_

_‘Gabriel!’_

_‘Okay, I mean, technically, I did it six times.’_

_‘Gabriel, what the fuck?’_

_‘Look, Dad’s alright with it. Kinda. I mean, He basically just blabbered on about Free Will when I asked Him about it when He dropped by, so I’m taking that to mean He’s not upset?’_

_‘Sometimes, little brother, it amazes me what Father lets you get away with. For all that we call Lucifer His favourite.’_

_‘It’s cos Luci was His first girl.’_ Gabriel answers, and Raphael snorts.

_‘Somehow I feel like Lucifer would deny that.’_

_‘It’s the truth, though. Lucifer has always gravitated towards female vessels. But he’s always resisted it because of everything that happened with Lilith and then that whole -Eve shall be subservient to Adam- bullshit. Honestly, 100% of Lucifer’s problem is the fact he’s having an identity crisis. Dad’s most beloved, except here come the humans to usurp his place. Lucifer’s a girl, except Dad kind of fucked up by punishing Eve and all women after her to be subservient to men. And now Lucifer’s got this whole stupid thing against being a woman. Like… what the hell is it with fathers and just fucking up their kids all the Fatherdamn time?!’_

_‘Yeah, they kind of suck at it, don’t they?’_

_‘One day, I’ll meet someone who is an amazing father, and a good person. Seriously. Well, I mean, Loki kind of comes close. But he has trouble with the whole -be a good person- side of things. Probably because he’s not human. I mean, I have trouble with that shit, too. Anyway. Lucifer is a girl. And I’m bringing four of my kids with me to Pegasus. Vision’s gonna stay behind and make sure shit gets done.’_

_‘Please tell me you didn’t name your child -Vision-‘_

_‘Look, he chose his own fucking name, alright? And you haven’t even heard the names of my other kids.’_

_‘Alright, lay it on me.’_

_‘Dummy, You, Butterfingers, Jarvis, and Ultron.’_

_‘I don’t know what to say.’_

_‘They’re all AI. So, like, settle yourself down. They like their names.’_

_‘That is hard to believe.’_

_‘Shut up. I’ll catch up with you later, I have to go make some plans.’_

_‘Very well.’_

_Dude, your family is weird._

_Our family._

_Dude, our family is weird._

_Better._

* * *

“Hello!” Raphael opens her eyes to frown at the young girl standing before her.

“Hello?”

 _Ally._ Rodney informs her, _She’s the City AI._

“I heard you were the Archangel Raphael.” Ally says, smiling happily at her.

“I am?”

“My creators used to speak of you. They were afraid of you.” The girl says, Raphael sighs.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Your creators were Nephilim. They were considered an abomination by my Father, and we were ordered to destroy them. However, He allowed those who fled Earth to go on living, so long as they kept to themselves.” Raphael explains, sensing rapt attention from Rodney.

“Is that how they ended up on Altera?” Ally asks, coming to sit down on the empty bed opposite Raphael’s.

“I imagine so, yes. Once they fled Earth, they went beyond my purview and that of my brothers’. We didn’t keep track of them.” Raphael answers with a shrug.

“But I was built on Terra.” Ally states, frowning.

 _Earth._ Rodney supplies.

“Yes, you were. Some of the Nephilim returned, Father allowed it so long as they didn’t interfere with his plans for Earth. They seeded human life throughout the Milky Way. However, you may recall that a great plague began among the Nephilim?”

“Yes, it is what killed the woman who I am modelled after. It is why they took me from Terra and brought me here to Pegasus.”

“Yes. Some among the Nephilim greatly upset Pestilence, using their healing abilities on some of the humans on Earth. Pestilence unleashed the great plague among them, and they fled.”

_Pestilence started the plague?_

_Yes. He was very put out by the Nephilim._

“So, my creators were afraid of you because of what you’d done to the Nephilim?”

“I imagine that is the case, yes.”

“That makes sense. Thank you for talking to me, Archangel Raphael.”

“It is my pleasure, Ally.” Raphael answers, the girl beams before her image slowly fades away.

* * *

_You know, Celestial Blob, I could get used to not having control of my body._

Don’t _get too used to it, I’m only going to be controlling it until we’re allowed out of Isolation. Then it’s going to be all you. So you can convince them to let me prance around in a female form._

_You could just do it, you know? It’s not like they have any weapons that could harm you, right?_

_I’m trying not to put them on edge._

_They’re already on edge, trust me. They’d probably feel a lot better if you revealed the whole appearance changer thing to them now as opposed to when they’ve just started to accept your presence._

_Perhaps you are correct. I shall wear the visage of my previous vessel._

_You can do that?_

_Yes._

_That sounds kind of creepy. But alright._

Raphael closes her eyes and imagines the form of her previous vessel, willing her Grace to adjust the shape of her body to it. Raphael smiles happily and opens her eyes, looking down at her body and feeling the joy that ripples through her at the sight of her previous vessel’s dark skin tone.

_I did like this vessel, even if I didn’t get to keep it very long._

_Oh?_

_One of our brothers killed me._

_I did say we have a messed up family, right?_

_Yehep. You haven’t even heard about what happened to Gabriel yet._

_Oh?_

_‘Stop talking about me.’_

_‘Stop listening in on private conversations.’_

_‘Look, if you have mental discussions about me, I’ll feel it, alright? At least for the next month or so, I’ve been looking for someone else for years now, so don’t go blaming me if I’m very sensitive to familiar presences name dropping me.’_

_‘We’re alone?’_ Raphael asks, suddenly feeling cold. She searches for those voices she’d heard when she entered Rodney, but they elude her. Abruptly, the silence is stifling. _‘Gabriel?’_

_‘We’re alone. Some of our siblings pop in and out from time to time. I don’t know where they go. Others are still human. Some of them, I don’t know, they remember their angelic lives, but most of them have no idea.’_

_‘Why would Father do this?’_

_‘I think this is where angels go when they die, sis. I think this is Dad’s way of teaching us a lesson. But it also puts us and our Grace somewhere in easy reach for Him if He decides He wants us back on the original world.’_

_‘So, what? This is an alternate world?’_

_‘Yes. Though, from what I’ve seen, it has just enough changes to be unique without feeling alien.’_

_‘What’s Dad trying to teach us?’_

_‘Free Will, I think.’_

_‘Gabriel.’_

_‘No, Raphael. Really. When Dad dropped by before, He was spouting about Free Will and the appreciation of life, and then He fucked off... again’_

_‘Yeah, He’s good at that.’_

_‘Definitely. I’ve been trying to figure out what happens if we die here.’_

_‘I don’t know. Maybe we fail his lesson?’_

_‘Maybe, I don’t think so, though.’_

_‘We need more data.’_

_‘Yeah. Just out of curiosity, what did your grace create when you lost it?’_

_‘I don’t know. My grace was in a vial.’_

_‘Oh. That kind of sucks. Mine created a tree in the middle of the Afghanistan Desert. That was fun.’_

_‘Seriously? Gabriel, not even your grace obeys the laws of nature.’_

_‘I take no responsibility for this! I don’t even have memory of losing my grace.’_

_‘Alright, I’ll let you off this time.’_

_‘Much obliged. I’ve got to run now. Butterfingers has set the lab on fire… again.’_

_‘Have fun.’_

_‘Hmm, fun.’_

_I’m bored._ Rodney announces almost immediately after Gabriel’s presence fades.

_Well, get used to it. We’re stuck in isolation._

_Yeah, but normally I get to at least keep my laptop with me._

_Seriously?_ Raphael asks, her scepticism obvious. Rodney replies with confused indignation.

_Uh, yeah?_

_They’re not worried about you being compromised or anything?_

_Uh, considering I’m the smartest person on the entire expedition, and the fact that I have all my fingers in all the pies? They’re kind of screwed if I ever am_ truly _compromised, so, no._

_I guess we could just skip forward in time to when we’re free to leave Iso, but I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice._

_Huh? What? Why?_

_Well, I created quarantine and isolation, and here I am, completely disregarding them._

_Oh, don’t be such a baby. Sometimes you have to override the safety protocols if you want to be able to survive another day._

_You won’t die of boredom, Rodney._

_I might. Anabiel did._

_That was from stupidity, and she isn’t dead. She’s fallen._ Raphael counters, with fond exasperation.

_Hey, I must be real into her sphere, huh?_

_What? The inability to abide stupidity? Oh, yeah. We’re very, **very** into that sphere of influence. But none of my siblings in charge of that sphere are ever really territorial. They consider it ‘idiotic’. Well, Kabniel can get a little bit territorial of his humans, but he’s always been that way. _

_Raphael, I’m bored! Fix it._

_I can already tell you’re going to get on my nerves._

_They’re my nerves, too._

_Goody._

* * *

They barely survive isolation, and by the time Carson’s ready to let them leave, Raphael has faded into the background in order to drown out Rodney’s whining.

“What was with the lady?” Ronon asks as the team walks with Rodney to the Mess Hall.

“Huh?” Rodney queries, already thinking about all the Tafka cakes he can eat. Raphael sends him the general feel of amusement and a caution that Raphael’s not above playing with Rodney’s weight.

_Hey, I’ll have you know that I have hypoglycaemia._

_Had. Do you really think that I, the Healing Hand of God, would allow my own human self to continue existing with_ any _medical disorders? Truly, Rodney, I thought you’d have noticed by now._

_Hey, wait, you fixed all my medical issues?_

_Yes, you are perhaps the healthiest human in this galaxy. You have no health disorders to boast of._

_Not even a citrus allergy?_

_Not even._

_Huh._

“Rodney?” Sheppard asks, snapping his fingers in front of Rodney’s face, it snaps Rodney from his conversation with Raphael, and he blinks owlishly at the commander.

“What?”

“Where’d you go?”

“Huh?” Rodney questions, before realizing he must have zoned out to talk with his angel self. “Oh, Raphael wanted to talk to me. Anyway. Ronon, what were you asking?”

“Who was the lady that replaced you or became you in isolation?” Ronon clarifies, Rodney snorts.

“That was Raphael, as her previous vessel appeared. We have decided that when she is controlling the body, she shall wear the visage of her previous vessel, and that when I am in control, I’ll just look like me.” Rodney answers, smiling. “Why?”

“Just curious. Carson almost refused to let you leave because he didn’t know who she was or what she was doing here. But Ally assured him she was safe.”

“Oh, right. I probably should have explained that to him, huh?”

“Perhaps.” Ronon answers, rolling his eyes. “C’mon, let’s go see if there’s anything left in the Mess.

* * *

It takes four weeks for Atlantis expedition to begin to warm up to Raphael. Not that she particularly cares, she is an aspect of Rodney, after all, and Rodney’s entire life has been fraught with ignorant people refusing to warm up to him. The medical team, though, they’re the first ones to really form connections with Raphael, connections she encourages.

It is not until Raphael has been on the City for three months that the expedition finally adopts her into the fold.

Life moves on.

* * *

Lorne’s team practically falls through the Stargate when the field is dropped, they’re covered in blood and weary to the bone. But when they stumble in, there is no Lorne in sight.

“Parrish? Where’s Sec Com Lorne?” Sheppard asks, as medics rush into the room.

“I don’t know, sir! He was right behind us.” the once excitable Botanist turned Space Marine answers, his eyes trained on the open wormhole. “Parkers?” Parrish turns to Lorne’s shadow in the field, who frowns at the pair of them as one of the nurses examines the cut over her eye.

“He was behind me, sirs.” Parkers answers, hissing at the nurse who prods at her eye. “I thought he would come through right behind me.”

“He did.” Ally announces, appearing at Sheppard’s side. “I have refused to allow him to be rematerialized.”

“Why?”

“His throat was slit. He will die in seconds if I allow him to be rematerialized.”

“He’ll die if you don’t allow him to be.” Rodney states, appearing at John’s side, frowning. “Ally. Release him and throw the field up immediately.”

“Rodney, I-“

“Do it, Ally.” Rodney tells her, going to stand in front of the gate, Ally frowns at him but a moment later Lorne’s body falls backwards out of the wormhole and collapses into Rodney’s arms. Instantly Rodney becomes Raphael, and she lowers Evan to the floor, placing her hand over his neck and pressing the tips of her fingers to his forehead.

“It’s not your time yet.” She states, and when she removes her hands, Evan’s throat is whole and healed. He gasps and his eyes fly open, Raphael places her hand over his chest and pushes him back down. “Calm. I have healed you, but you need to take a moment to catch your breath and settle your heart.” Raphael tells him, Evan nods and closes his eyes, letting his head fall back as he breathes in deeply. Raphael, satisfied that Evan will stay put, moves away.

She looks behind her and spots a little girl in a floral dress standing there. The girl smiles at Raphael, waves and vanishes, Raphael hums and looks at the still active wormhole. The Stargate deactivates with a snap of her fingers, the whoosh shooting forward only to hit an invisible wall in front of Raphael and Evan, before it disappears. Raphael then turns to Ally, who is leaning over Evan curiously. “I want you to hold any fatally wounded coming through the Gate from this moment forward until I’m in the Gate Room. If I can’t get here within the 38 Minute Window, you need to rematerialize them, and put them in stasis immediately.”

“Are you sure that-“

“I can heal anyone at Death’s door so long as they have not yet passed over. And while I can bring people back from death, it is considered rude to do so.”

“Rude?” Sheppard exclaims, eyes wide. “I consider it rude to let people who shouldn’t be dead remain dead!”

“That is exactly the reason, Sheppard.” Raphael says, turning to him. “Death is only fate in so much as everything dies. There is no set time, no set way. Death comes for you when he decides it is time. To thwart him is to thwart the Balance, and he and Life take that very seriously.”

“What do you mean?” Ronon asks, as they watch Carson’s team hustle Evan’s towards the infirmary.

“There are… plans for everything and everyone in existence. But they’re not set in stone. They are flexible.” Raphael tells him, frowning. “When you die, you create a space for new life to fill. For everything that dies, there is something else brought to life to take its place. It’s a delicate balance. For every life lost, a new life is created. Spaces are constantly being emptied and filled. Worlds like Earth are so overpopulated now because so many planets and galaxies have been destroyed in the last few thousand years. And the spaces those deaths left behind needed to be filled.”

“Musical chairs?” Elizabeth hazards, Raphael gives a little grimace.

“Something similar, I think. As the game of Musical Chairs progresses, the number of chairs to fill, and thus, the number of spaces to fill, lessens, eliminating players as you go. It’s not the same. When a person dies, then, and only then, is there a space created for someone else to fill. It’s a balance, as I said. To bring someone back to life who has died, and given their space to someone else, is to create a situation where someone is alive who has no space to fill. In order to regain that balance, Death must follow along the string of actions that would happen if the person brought back to life had never died, until eventually balance is restored. Normally through a great catastrophe, like a flood, or an earthquake.”

“I do not understand.” Teyla says, voice thick with confusion. Raphael sighs heavily and goes to sit down on the stairs leading up towards the control centre, the others follow suit and find seats where they can.

“Alright. For this scenario, imagine that I’m not an Archangel. Say Sheppard died in a fire fight, making a stand so the team could get through the Gate. We’d want to go back for him, to at least bring his body home, but say we know trying to do so will get us killed, instead, and make Sheppard’s sacrifice meaningless. So we continue running for the Gate. But, what if someone brings Sheppard back? Now our commander is alive and surrounded by enemy units. We can either continue through the Gate, knowing we’re abandoning Sheppard to our enemies. Or we can fight and try to get our commander back.” Raphael takes a moment to look around the room and check that everyone is listening.

“For the purposes of this explanation, we fight and try to get our commander back. The DHD is shot early on in the gunfight, and is rendered completely useless. Normally, it would take me three hours to fix it, but my fingers are burnt from the sparks that ignited when the DHD was hit. It will take me six hours to fix. We don’t have six hours. Trying to provide cover for me, Teyla takes a hit to her femoral artery, she bleeds out in seconds. I am, justifiably, distracted by Teyla’s death, and in my distracted state, I do not see the knife that imbeds itself in my frontal lobe. Ronon goes down fighting, it is eventually a stray bullet piercing his heart that takes him out. Sheppard dies again anyway.”

“That’s a bit extreme don’t you think?” Elizabeth asks, eyes wide.

“On the contrary, that is only the beginning.” Raphael counters, shaking her head. “Had Sheppard been the only casualty, Ronon, Teyla, and I would have returned to Atlantis, devastated and angry. But we’d have been alive. Atlantis would have taken a mighty blow, Sheppard is our commander, and he’s very beloved of our people, but if he alone were to die, it would incite our people to blood lust. We would not stop until we’d eradicated those who took Sheppard from us, and from there we’d destroy the Wraith. Sheppard died to give us that chance. But in this scenario, Sheppard doesn’t stay dead. Instead, he’s brought back to life, and Ronon, Teyla, and I die alongside him. Maybe Atlantis gets our bodies back. Maybe Atlantis simply never knows what happened to us. Atlantis lives in constant fear that one or all of us are captured and have been broken. Atlantis lives in constant fear that her enemies know all her secrets. In the paranoia, Atlantis destroys itself. The balance restored itself with Sheppard’s death, but because he didn’t stay down the first time, it created a string of actions that couldn’t be undone.”

“I thought you said deaths aren’t fixed.” Ronon states, frowning at the ground intently.

“I did. They aren’t. The decisions we would make if we knew Sheppard was dead are different than the decisions we would make if we knew he was not. That’s enough to change everything.”

“A single flap of a butterfly’s wings.” Sheppard says with a sigh. Raphael smiles at him ruefully.

“Basically. The balance between life and death is delicate, but it is self-repairing.”

“So, if Evan had been dead, and you brought him back, what would have happened?” Elizabeth asks, Raphael shrugs her shoulders.

“Honestly? I don’t know. It’s not for me to know.”

“Quite right.” A familiar British voice states, and Raphael turns towards the gate to find Death standing there. “It fills me with happiness to know that you’re not going to start playing necromancer, again.” He says, giving Raphael a stern look.

“Hello, Death.” Raphael answers, smiling as she rises to her feet. “I wasn’t certain you’d be in the area.”

“I heard my name come up in conversation.” Death answers, looking around curiously. “You’ve made quite an impression on Ariadne.”

“Oh?” Raphael asks, curiously. Death smiles softly and nods his head.

“She says it is never a dull day around here.”

“Ah.” Raphael pauses when she notes the way the humans are staring at her strangely, she sighs. “They can’t see you, can they?”

“Of course not. It is not their time.”

“No, no, of course it’s not. Why did I assume you wouldn’t play with _that_ rule?”

“You’re right, why did you assume?”

“What are you really in the neighbourhood for, Death? It’s not just to come and pat me on the back for not destroying the balance.”

“I wanted to know if you’ve had a gander at Yggdrasil yet?” Death asks casually, Raphael frowns.

“No. I haven’t been back to Earth yet.” Raphael replies, eyes narrowing slightly. “Gabriel has though, I think.”

“Has he? Interesting. You might want to stop by the Amazon, also.” Death tells him, before holding up his hand and giving a little wave. “Ta now.”

“Death, wait! What’s there that I-“ Raphael trails off with a huff as Death disappears. “Honestly, sometimes I question why I even bother having conversations with any of your kind.”

“Raphael?” Sheppard questions hesitantly, Raphael pauses and turns to look at him, a sheepish smile appearing on her face.

“First rule of talking to Reapers, kids, they never show themselves to you unless they want to, or unless they’re yours.”

“Uh? Ours?”

“Everyone has a Reaper. Even Dad. But He gets ol’ Death himself. I suppose my siblings and I do, too.” Raphael admits, with a considering hum. “Evan has Shade.”

“Shade?”

“Yeah, his Reaper. She’s the youngest of the Reapers. Honestly, she’s still a fledgling. Things must be pretty bad out here if she’s already reaping souls.”

“If Reapers only show themselves to those they want, how come you could see her?”

“Because part of a Reaper’s training is spent in my Infirmary learning what constitutes a permanent death, and what constitutes a near death experience. Shade remains to this day, my most accomplished student.” Raphael answers proudly, a grin on her face.

“Huh. Okay, so Evan’s Reaper is called Shade, and she’s a newbie. Uhm, were you actually talking with Death-Death earlier or just another Reaper?”

“No, that was Death. He’s given me a task. I’m going to be unavailable for a few days.” Raphael sighs, contemplating the things she could find on Yggdrasil and in the Rainforest.

“How are you-?” Teyla begins to ask, only to be cut off by Raphael.

“I’m going to fly. I did mention my wings aren’t just for show.”

“You can fly through _space?_ ” Sheppard exclaims, eyes wide, and a little hungry. Raphael smiles and nods her head.

“Mhm. I could fly through the Sun if I really felt like it. Honestly, there’s very few things I _can’t_ fly through. But anyhow, I must be going now. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. And if you need me, just pray.” Raphael says, before she vanishes in a flutter of wings.

“Wow!”

* * *

_‘Gabriel?’_

_‘Hmm?’_

_‘You’ve been to see Yggdrasil, right?’_

_‘Not really? I had a minor perusal of it. But nothing I’d call exhaustive.’_

_‘Right.’_

_‘Why?’_

_‘Death dropped by? He implied I should go and check out Yggdrasil and the Rainforest.’_

_‘Amazon Rainforest?’_

_‘Mhm.’_

_‘Interesting. Where are you now?’_

_‘Heading off to see Yggdrasil.’_

_‘Right. I’ll check out the Rainforest. Meet up at my Tower?’_

_‘Uh, sure.’_

* * *

_Am I actually looking at what I think I’m looking at?_ Rodney asks as Raphael circles the roots of Yggdrasil, making faces at Níðhöggr.

_Hello, Rodney. Nice of you to make an appearance._

_I’ve been trying to work my way through something. That’s not important right now. Am I looking at Yggdrasil?_

_Yes._

_God._

_Actually, it’s Lucifer._ Raphael says with a sigh, reaching forward to place her hand against the bark. It sings beneath her hand and she resists the urge to wrap her grace around it.

_What?_

_Yeah. This is Lucifer’s grace._

_But that’s not possible, that’s… how could that be?_

_Lucifer was always the strongest of us. Michael’s strong, but Michael’s only ever been a match with Lucifer because Luci was never really willing to hurt him. Lucifer was always the strongest of us, the brightest of us, the best of us. It makes sense that his grace became something as powerful as Yggdrasil._

_I’m very freaked out right now._

_I know. Go back to your mathematics problem. Gabriel and I are going to be talking. You and Tony can play around later._

_Hmm._ Rodney replies, before his presence becomes more background as his focus moves to his equations. Almost immediately, Raphael feels the harsh pressure of something tugging at his grace for attention.

 _‘Raphael. We need to meet, now!’_ Gabriel exclaims, urgently. Raphael hums.

_‘I take it the Amazon Rainforest contains Michael’s grace?’_

_‘Please don’t tell me what I think you’re going to tell me.’_ Gabriel answers after a long silence.

_‘I wish I could tell you something different, but-‘_

_‘Fuck.’_

_‘Are you at your Tower?’_

_‘Yes. Get here.’_

_‘On my way.’_

* * *

“Hello, Ma’am.” A disembodied voice states as they appear inside the Penthouse. Rodney offers up a quick _that’s JARVIS_ before Raphael can panic. “Mr Stark is expecting you.” _He feels a little bit like Ally. Similar but… different somehow._

“Thank you, JARVIS.” Raphael answers, smiling towards the sensor on the wall. “Rodney wishes me to inform you that your presence here reminds him of the AI we have at home. He feels comfortable here.”

“Oh, thank you.” JARVIS answers, sounding almost like he doesn’t quite know what to do with that information. “Uh, Mr Stark is waiting for you in the Living Room.”

“Of course. Thank you, JARVIS.” Raphael follows the mental tug she can feel in her mind to where Gabriel is seated on the couch, glaring at the TV. “You have a very lovely home here. Rodney says JARVIS reminds him of Ally.”

“Ally?” Gabriel asks, looking up at her as she comes to sit down on the couch beside him.

“The AI on the City.” Raphael answers, noting the way Gabriel’s eyes seem to flash with recognition and then suspicion.

“To what extent is Rodney reminded of Ally because of JARVIS?”

 _Hmm. Ally feels warm and inviting and desperate to please. JARVIS feels confident and cautious and he’s welcoming, but there’s a sense of danger about him that Ally doesn’t have. Or that she doesn’t express to us._ Rodney answers, and Raphael passes along the message.

“You keep saying feel.” Gabriel points out, frowning. “You connect with her mentally?”

“Yes. I take it JARVIS doesn’t interact that way?” Raphael answers, a frown marring her own face now, because she can _feel_ JARVIS’ presence in her mind as a warm hum.

“No. We sense him because of what we are and what he is.” Gabriel answers with a sigh. “I told you he has a soul, Raphael. Apparently your AI does, too.”

“That’s not-“ Raphael cuts herself off, because it _is_ possible. The Nephilim were Ally’s creators, and she was modelled off a Nephilim who had died young. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice it before. Of _course_ she has a soul.”

“She probably doesn’t feel like a regular soul. AI souls are… different. Their personalities are created by a specific series of codes that allow the AI to learn over time, and as the AI learns, the more sentient it becomes. Over time, a soul begins to form.” Gabriel explains, smiling.

 _Okay. So, you know how all of the Jumpers like different people? And react in different ways to different situations? And how they always feel different from each other?_ Rodney asks, sounding excited and terrified.

_I’m not going to like where you’re going with this, am I?_

_I think the Jumpers have souls, too._

_Great._

“What’s with the face?” Gabriel asks, causing Raphael to jump.

“What?”

“You’re making your unhappy face.” Gabriel answers, trying to mimic Raphael’s supposed ‘unhappy’ face.

“I am not making my unhappy face. I don’t have an unhappy face.” Raphael retorts, making her unhappy face.

“You are definitely making your unhappy face. Spill.” Raphael huffs and glares at the TV as if it is the cause of all her problems.

“Rodney thinks our Puddle Jumpers, er, the Gate Ships, have souls, too.”

“Oh.” Gabriel exclaims, frowning. “And the Nephilim just… left all of them at the bottom of the sea?”

“Looks like it, yeah.”

“And just when I think I’ve gotten over my annoyance with them.”

“Mm. But this is not what we are here to discuss, Gabriel.”

“Right! Our big bros. What the hell are we going to do?”

“Honestly? No idea.” Raphael answers, sighing heavily and shaking her head. “We’re safe so long as neither of them regains their grace, and really, I think Luci’s gonna have a hell of a time trying to get at his. But eventually they’ll both find them.”

“Maybe they’ll have learned the Free Will lesson by then?” Gabriel poses, sounding not at all like he believes what he’s just said.

“Hmm, maybe. I think you should still come to Pegasus if you want to. But we’ll have to trade off on checking in on them.”

“I’m not letting them fuck up this place, too.” Gabriel promises, angrily. “Not this time.”

“I know. I’m not going to let them, either. But we shall see what time decides.”

 “We’re always sluts for time.” Gabriel exclaims, smirking. Raphael stares at him sideways.

“Uh?”

“It’s a meme.” Gabriel replies, snorting. “I don’t know where it started, but it’s an internet meme.”

“Right.”

_Move over. I want to talk shop with Tony._

“I’m being booted off the controls.” Raphael says with a scowl. Gabriel laughs and heaves a sigh.

“As am I. Tony wants to pick Rodney’s brain.”

“Yes, Rodney rather wants to do the same to Tony. Let’s leave them to it, shall we?”

“Of course.”

* * *

“You’re coming to Atlantis with us. Right now.” Rodney exclaims suddenly, drawing Raphael out from her deep thinking.

“What?” Tony exclaims eyes going wide.

“Atlantis, with me, now.” Rodney repeats, ignoring Raphael’s urging him to answer what’s set this off.

“Explain.”

“Do you _know_ how valuable a power source like this could be to Atlantis?” Rodney explains, a pang of heartbreak and terror rippling through him, Raphael dives into the memories associated with it.

* * *

_“I can’t! I can’t! I can’t!” Rodney exclaims, his head buried in his hands._

_“C’mon, Rodney. You can do this.” John says, his voice crackling through the radio._

_“No, Sheppard. You’re not listening. You don’t understand. We have 5% power remaining. It’s not enough to keep us going through the winter this year, John. It’s not enough. It doesn’t matter how much I play with the numbers or turn off systems that aren’t essential. That 5% is only going to go down. And I can’t fix it.”_

_“Rodney.”_

_“We’re all going to freeze to death. And there’s nothing I can do about it. Soon we won’t even be able to dial the Stargate. This is it, John. After everything, the Wraith, the Genii, the Siege. The thing that gets us is Winter. The Snow-apocalypse, and I can’t save us.”_

_“It’s not your fault, Rodney. We just don’t have the power.”_

* * *

“Ancestors, we could get the City up and running at full power. Ally could finally start her Self-Repair functions. We could start making Jumpers. And we could drain out the parts of the city that are still flooded. And we’d have heat when Winter came around again. You have to come back.” Rodney exclaims, his hands shaking at the possibilities. “I need to sit down.”

“Is it really that bad over there?” Tony asks, frowning at Rodney.

“Yes. Year four, we had… God, we were down to 5% power and Winter hit us hard. We lost thirty people before we found a ZPM hidden away in Jumper 13 with a 20% charge.”

* * *

_“Radek. C’mon. We n-n-needa go.” Rodney stutters, his teeth chattering so loudly in the silence of the Jumper Bay. “C’mon.”_

_“It h-h-h-has to b-b-be here.” Radek replies, his entire body shivering. “It h-h-has to be.”_

_“M-m-m-may-b-be th-th-they li-li-lied.” Rodney says, as he goes back to digging around under the Flight Console._

_‘Wh-why w-w-would they?”_

_“D-d-dunno.”_

_“D-d-d-docs?” Moana calls, stepping inside the Jumper. “Sh-sh-she w-w-w-wants y-y-you to ch-ch-check th-th-the fl-floor.” The scientist from New Zealand states, pointing to the grating on the floor. Rodney looks to where she’s pointing and his eyes light up._

_“G-g-god. Of c-c-course.” He exclaims, as Radek shuffles over to lift away the grating. It reveals a little cubby hole filled with a black box. Radek’s trembling fingers struggle to open the clasps, but when they do, the box springs open and reveals the most beautiful sight._

* * *

“We have the Traveller ships now, so, whenever things get too rough on the City, we evacuate up to the ships or onto the mainland. But, Atlantis is our home. It’s our sanctuary, and to know that I had the power to do all that I could to protect it? I don’t know how to even describe how that might feel, because it’s something I’ve never felt.”

“I’ve still got things to sort out here, before I can leave. But, I’ll give you the Mark Five.”

“The-“

“It’s the newest version of the Arc Reactor. It’ll be up to you to figure out how to make it mesh with your system. But, I’m sure Ally will give you a hand.”

“Yeah, I’m sure she will.” Rodney answers, eyes wide. “Do you still have one in your chest?”

“Nah, Gabriel doesn’t like it, so he took it out. But sometimes I feel like it’s supposed to be there, like I feel empty without it. I can’t explain it.”

“Maybe that’s a sign that you need it?” Rodney asks, raising an eyebrow. “On Atlantis, whenever we get that sort of feeling, it’s normally Ally or the Jumpers getting pissed off at us about something we’re being idiots about. Like, before Raphael, I used to get that feeling a lot, because I had hypoglycaemia and I’d forget to eat when I was working on something.

“Hmm, I’m working on an even smaller version that I could have. Since it doesn’t need to continuously power an electromagnet anymore, and since the suits have their own Arc Reactors, it’d just need to be something small. Mostly, though, I’d get a kick out of being a walking nightlight again.” Tony says with a grin.

“Yeah, that would annoy me, a lot. But if you create another, smaller Reactor to go in your chest, you could tinker with the Personal Shield devices we’ve found in the City. I haven’t had time to work on them, they still operate _horribly_ when it comes to actually allowing you to eat while they’re activated. But I’m sure with our minds combined we could fix that.”

“I’ve actually been looking at shields, since Loki keeps showing off with them around me. Not that I really care, since Gabriel’s badass, but personal shields would be nice.”

“Personal shields would be divine.”

“You know what else is divine.” Tony answers, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, before scowling. “Gabriel, _no_ , I’m in control of the body right now. Go away.” Rodney starts laughing, shaking his head.

“Raphael and I have a time sheet. Since he’s all Medical Voodoo, and I’m Physics and assorted other sciences, we needed to come up with something that would let us have equal time with the body. Mostly, Raphael gets the night shifts, and I get the day shifts. We flicker back and forward during emergencies.” Tony nods his head in understanding before the scowl returns to his face

“Gabriel normally hijacks the body to go and prank people. It’s hilarious some of the time, but a lot of the time I’m in the middle of building things and it just pisses me off.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah. I hate it when he does it.”

“Raphael’s pretty good about letting me work if I really need to.”

“I wish _someone_ was the same.”  

_Gabriel’s always been easily bored. His attention span has never been all that large._

_I’m getting that._

_‘Stop spreading lies.’_

_‘What did we say about butting into private conversations?’_

_‘Tony’s being a butt.’_

_‘You totally deserve it.’_

_‘Grr’_

* * *

Part Two: Gabriel

Gabriel leaves everything behind. Well, everything but Loki, and his kids. He leaves the Avengers, he leaves his suits, he leaves Pepper, and he leaves all his baggage behind. The Gabriel that appears in Pegasus is a new Gabriel, a new Tony Stark. A new beginning.

* * *

They set up shop on this little planet on the edge of Wraith controlled space that hasn’t seen sentient life since the days of the Nephilim. Gabriel would prefer they set up elsewhere, but Loki likes the challenge, and the kids all love their new home, their new territory. Butterfingers likes the Stargate. But perhaps like is too soft a term. Butterfingers _loves_ the Stargate, and it takes both Loki and Gabriel to keep her from building her room around it. She still spends as much time around it as she can.

You takes it upon himself to start building up the coffee farm. Jarvis jumps on board to help him, eventually convincing Dummy to join them. Loki, meanwhile, goes about setting up all kinds of wards and protections, Gabriel checking them over with a critical eye.

“Don’t get too attached, guys. This is all just temporary, remember.” He warns them all, they roll their eyes at him, they’ve heard this all before.

They start trading within the week, and word of their existence begins to spread.

* * *

Gabriel’s presence in Pegasus doesn’t go unnoticed for long, how could it? He came bearing coffee, of course word of that wouldn’t stay quiet forever. Getting the Stargate address for their planet, actually, turns out to be the hard part, which makes Raphael laugh, considering she can feel Gabriel’s presence, and knows exactly where her brother is.

It takes them seven weeks to finally acquire the Gate address, Raphael’s enjoyed watching the humans practically lose their minds at the knowledge that real coffee is somewhere in their galaxy, and they just couldn’t _find_ it. When they get the address, it’s like a day of celebration on the city, and Raphael leaves them to it.

* * *

Rodney senses them all the moment he steps through the Gate, the strange life signatures that are AI’s with souls. And he senses the god, and Gabriel. And he can smell coffee.

“Oh my God.” Sheppard exclaims, breathing in the smell. “We found it.” He breathes, Rodney laughs.

“Yeah we did. And I should have known who was behind it.” Rodney says, sighing. Their manipulations to be kept hidden. “Gabriel.”

“What? Your brother?” Sheppard exclaims, turning to him with wide eyes.

“Yeah. I ran into Gabriel when I was on Earth before. He gave me the Arc Reactor; you remember?” Sheppard laughs and shakes his head.

“Rodney, it’d be impossible to forget. Your department wouldn’t shut up about that damn thing.”

“Yeah, well. It looks like Gabriel decided he was bored of Earth.”

* * *

“Gabriel, I believe we have guests.” A polite British voice calls out as they near the house, and Loki appears before them, looking them over.

“I know! I sensed them the moment they stepped out of the gate!” the unmistakable voice of Tony Stark yells back.

“Are you not going to come and say hello, dear?” Loki asks, rolling his eyes at Rodney, who just smiles back.

“No. They can come find me if they want me to say hi.” Gabriel replies, Loki shakes his head.

“Very well.”

* * *

Raphael and Gabriel are arguing with each other in Geniian when suddenly they feel it.

_‘He’s awake.’_

* * *

 

Part Three: Michael

He’s always felt drawn to law enforcement. To justice. If he’s honest, he’s always felt drawn to judgement, but becoming a judge or a lawyer would have made his father happy, and he felt no satisfaction making his father proud. Oh, he tried. He tried as hard as he could, and for as long as he could, but it never got him anywhere good. So he stopped.

* * *

Tony stared in awe at the forest before him, before now, he’s never seen it in person before. Not ever. Pictures do not do it justice. He steps forwards on legs suddenly more stable than they’ve been since Brad broke his leg in college. He feels drawn to the forest, like he can’t pull away, he doesn’t want to pull away.

Someone calls his name, places a hand on his shoulder, he ignores them, pulls out of their reach. Moves forward, his arm reaching out, only to fall limply at his side. He shakes his head, and closes his eyes. His legs continue moving, and he doesn’t try to stop them. The voices still call to him, but somewhere along the way, he loses them. He’s alright with that.

He finds himself standing at the base of a great tree. There are spears stuck in the ground, forming a circle around the trunk. Tony looks at them for only a few moments, before his eyes are drawn back to the tree. He walks towards it, stepping within the circle, his arm outstretched. He smiles and closes his eyes as his fingers touch the bark.

 _Hello_ he hears a whisper in his mind and then he’s drowning in a light so bright it aches.

_‘He’s awake.’_

_‘Michael!’_

Memories suddenly assault his mind, as if someone has found a lockbox of them within his mind and opened it. He screams.

* * *

_“When do you think Dad will create our little siblings, Michael?” Lucifer questions, dangling nir little legs off Heaven’s edge._

_“I don’t know, Luci. Soon, probably.” Michael answers, watching as the planet below them begins to form. Michael knows this planet is going to be different from the others._

_“I want a little sibling.” Lucifer states, puffing out nir chest. Michael smiles and reaches down to ruffle nir hair._

_“You’ll have more little siblings than you could ever want. I promise.”_

_“You think so?” Lucifer asks, looking up at Michael and cocking nir head to the side._

_“I know so, little Feather. As Father is my witness.” Michael answers, the smile that breaks out across Lucifer’s face is magnificent. Michael understands why Lucifer is the Morning Star. Nir light is radiant._

_Ne will make a great leader someday._

* * *

_“Michael, no.”_

_“Michael, don’t do this.”_

_The voices of his little siblings sounding in his ears, but they mean nothing to him. This is between Lucifer and himself. As their Father wishes. This is just between the two of them. Between the First Two. Lucifer has already lost._

_“Goodbye, Lucifer.” And he casts him down._

* * *

_“_ _Lucifer defied our father, and he betrayed me, but still, I don't want this any more than you would want to kill Sam. You know, my brother... I practically raised him. I took care of him in a way most people could never understand, and I still love him. But I am going to kill him, because it is right, and I have to.” He speaks with a face that is not his own, with a voice that is not his own. He has always known how to make do._

_“_ _What, because God says so?” and how could Dean ever understand? Dean who is supposed to be his vessel. Dean whose body he is supposed to be wearing now, and whose voice he is supposed to be speaking with. How could Dean ever understand?_

_“Yes. From the beginning, he knew this was how it was going to end.” But how could Dean not understand? Dean who raised Sammy like Michael raised Lucifer? Dean whose only task throughout most of his life was to care for Sammy like Michael cared for Lucifer? Dean who was commanded by his father to kill Sammy, if the need ever arose? How can Dean not understand?_

_“And you're just going to do whatever God says?” But Dean doesn’t understand. He’ll never understand._

_“Yes, because I am a good son.” It is all Michael has ever been._

* * *

_“Free will is an illusion, Dean. That’s why you’re going to say yes.”_

* * *

_“I have to fight my brother.”_

* * *

_The cage is cold. It is freezing._

_He has never felt cold like this._

_He has never felt emptiness like this._

_He asks how Lucifer has not completely lost his mind._

_He asks how he will not lose his, in time._

* * *

Tony’s eyes flash open suddenly, and he stares up into the leafy canopy above him. He breathes in deeply and feels the new presence within him. The new power.

 _Hello. I’m Michael._ That voice he’d heard first in his mind speaks, Tony smiles.

_I know. I think I’ve spent my entire life looking for you._

_Yes. But we are whole now._

_And we have a job to do._

“Michael, stop!” an unfamiliar voice yells nearby, Tony turns towards it, frowning at the beautiful dark skinned lady standing before him.

 _Raphael._ Michael supplies, Tony hums.

_She’s prettier than I thought she’d be._

_Don’t even. That is our sister._ Michael warns, Tony laughs internally and rolls his eyes.

_I know, I know._

“What do you think Michael’s going to do, Raphael?” Tony asks, looking the younger angel over, she blanches slightly, obviously unprepared to find Tony in control.

“Michael, you don’t have to do this.” Another voice states, and Tony turns towards it, keeping half his focus on Raphael. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees Tony Stark standing before him. Tony Stark who’d disappeared completely from the public eye over three year earlier.

“Man, are all you angels like this? Just assuming things all over the place? Michael’s not in charge here, _I am_.” Tony states, as Michael offers up the name _Gabriel._ Michael snorts at him.

_You wish, human. We’re sharing this body. It is both of ours._

_Yeah, yeah. But I wear it better._

_I’m sure you do. And just for the record, your lungs are unacceptable._

_Tell me about it._

“And who are you?” Raphael asks, Tony turns to her with his playboy grin.

“ _Very_ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo at your service.” He states, giving a little bow. “How can I help you today?”

“What are Michael’s plans?” Gabriel asks, ignoring Tony’s introduction.

“Currently? He’s fussing about the state of my lungs and regretting his life decisions. Apparently he thinks he should have gone into medicine, but I hear that’s your area of expertise, Raphael.”

“It is. Why is he fussing with your lungs?” Raphael questions, frowning at him. Tony shrugs, a big smile lighting up his entire face, even as his eyes grow dark.

“Oh, you know. Pneumonic plague. What are you gonna do?”

“Oh, great!” Gabriel announces, glaring at him. “Was there a _single_ one of us that escaped without some sort of potentially life threatening injury or disease? Fucking Meredith gets stuck with Citrus allergies and Hypoglycaemia, and I’m stuck over here with metal shards in my chest. This family is just great.”

 _Vessel._ Michael states, helpfully. Tony rolls his eyes.

_So that’s Stark, then._

_It would appear so._

“What did we say about the Meredith thing?!” Raphael yells, voice and body switching to that of an unfamiliar male. “God, I can’t trust any of you people with secrets, can I?”

_Vessel._

_Yeah, I got that one. Thanks, though._

“It’s not really a secret when pretty much everyone knows about it now, Rod.”

“No thanks to _you_!”

“Oops.”

“So, are we done here?” Tony asks, looking between the two of them. “I kind of have to go find my teammates, and solve a crime.” Tony pauses briefly as Michael jumps through Tony’s thoughts and feelings and memories about his team, and apparently doesn’t like what he finds. “Oh, and apparently I have to get a new job. So, if we’re done here, I’d like to get back on track with my life. Or my new life, as the case may be.”

“That depends.” Stark says slowly, Tony sighs.

“Great.”

“Are you feeling like taking over the world?” Raphael’s vessel asks.

“Uh, no?”

“What about killing anyone?”

“You do remember that I’m a special agent, right? Killing people, sadly, is part of the job?”

“True. Fine. Are you thinking about fighting Lucifer?”

“Well, that would be ridiculous, now, wouldn’t it? Considering Lucifer’s not around here.”

“Hmm.”

“Fine, we’re done here. For now.” Raphael’s vessel says, scowling at him.

“Great. Is this the part where you tell me not to leave town?” Tony asks, smiling widely. “Because I have to tell you, I’ve gotta get back to the States.” Raphael’s vessel sighs heavily before vanishing, while Stark smirks.

“I like you. Don’t make me regret that!” and then Stark is gone, too.

“Well, that went wonderfully!” Tony announces, clapping his hands together. “I’m so glad we got the meet and greet the family portion of this relationship out of the way quickly.

_I still have to meet your parents._

_Well, mum’s dead, so good luck with that. And I try to avoid my father as much as humanly possible._

_Nice. Even in a new life, I manage to get an absent father figure._

_Mhm. Let’s go, before Gibbs suffers a heart attack._

_He deserves it._

_Michael!_

_If he tries to head slap us, I’m going to break his arm._

_Try not to do that._

_It’s the least of what he deserves._

_We’ll have to agree to disagree on that._

_For now. This body is mine, too. If he harms it, I’m allowed to fight back._

_I know._

* * *

The case, as it turns out, is simpler than they’d thought at first. A Marine deserting the corps for a native girl, and defending himself when attacked by his CO. What this means is, Tony and Michael are back in DC before they ever thought they’d be.

 _I’m going to miss this apartment._ Tony sighs heavily, looking around them when they get through the door of their apartment.

_You could keep it._

_No. If I’m leaving NCIS, then I’m leaving everything from NCIS behind. Starting over._

_Where do you want to go?_

_I think I’m going to the FBI. I just, haven’t decided which office I want yet._

_You could work out of DC if they give you your own team._

_I guess. We’ll just have to see._

_Mhm._

* * *

“Never thought you’d come over to the dark side, DiNotso.” Fornell says, as they’re eating lunch in a quaint little diner near the Hoover.

“There have been some changes in my life recently. They’ve proved to be incompatible with NCIS, and Gibbs’ team in particular.” Tony admits, at the same moment Michael suddenly flares up in his mind.

_Tyr._

_What?_

_Tyr._

_The Norse God?_

_Yes!_

“How long have you been here, Tyr?” Michael asks, suddenly taking control of the body. Fornell startles, recoiling for a few seconds before he glances around the diner and settles back at the table. “I didn’t recognize you at first, but the longer we sat, and the longer you discussed with my vessel, the longer I had to peruse your mind. It’s been a very long time.”

“Michael.” Fornell replies, eyes narrowing. “I’d heard you were back. I didn’t quite believe it. So, you’re the change in Tony’s life that has sent him running from Gibbs?”

“Gibbs presumes much, laying hands upon Michael.”

“Ah.” Fornell nods, smirking. “I wondered what it would take to cause DiNotso to get out from under Jethro’s thumb.”

“It took him finding his grace.” Michael admits, Fornell’s eyes widen in shock.

“His grace? I thought you were merely possessing Tony.”

“No. Tony is my human counterpart. The vessel by which my Father is teaching me a lesson. I’m learning it.”

“Oh?”

“Free Will.”

“Ah. And what a way to learn it.” Fornell sighs and shakes his head. “Humans have so much free will, and they choose to use it in order to fight and kill each other.”

“Well, we used the perceived absence of it in order to fight and kill each other.” Michael admits, smiling sadly down into his food. “I admit I was the worst offender.”

“No doubt.” Fornell replies, smiling. “But we’ve all been there.”

“So I’m learning.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Tony wishes to remain in DC. He’s made this city his home. He does not wish to interact with Gibbs more than he has to.” Michael states, changing Tony’s soda to an iced-chocolate.

_No._

_Blame Gabriel._

_I think I will._

“I’ll see what I can make happen.”

“Good. You should probably also know that Gabriel and Raphael are around, also.”

“Yes, I’ve been hearing stories. They’re not here, though. On Earth.”

“Not currently, no.”

“Gabriel took Loki with him. The other Loki.”

“The other Loki?” Michael asks, perplexed. Fornell frowns at him, cocking his head to the side.

“There is Gabriel, there is the other Loki, and there is the Asgard Loki.”

“Oh, goody. Three versions of each of the Pagans.” Michael says, running a hand down his face. “As if you lot weren’t enough trouble on your own.”

“Yes, we live to annoy.”

“I can tell.” Michael mutters, shaking his head. “Well, it’ll be exciting, that’s for sure.”

“You have no idea.”

* * *

“Can I kill him?” Michael pauses in his perusal of case reports at the voice that catches him off guard, and he slowly looks up.

“Who?” he questions, as the other sits down in the chair opposite his desk.

“Gibbs. He won’t stop calling about you.” Michael snorts, and Tony assumes control.

“Get a burn phone and forward all his calls to it, Fornell. That’s what I used to do when I couldn’t be bothered dealing with anyone.”

“Ooh. I didn’t know you could do that. He is driving me mad.” Fornell complains, slumping even further in the chair, something Tony had thought impossible.

“He drives everyone mad, Fornell. I thought you knew that?”

“True. But I didn’t expe-“

“Knock, knock!” a voice announces behind Fornell with the fluttering of wings. Fornell jumps, yelling in surprise as Gabriel suddenly appears behind him. “Oh, hi Tyr. Didn’t realize you were here, sorry.”

“No, you’re not, Loki.” Fornell growls, hand over his heart. Gabriel grins widely.

“No, I’m not. But I needa chit-chat with my big bro now, so…” Gabriel snaps his fingers and Fornell finds himself… elsewhere. Gabriel hums happily and sinks into the chair that Fornell has just gracefully vacated.

“What do you want, Gabriel?” Michael asks, taking over control and frowning at his brother.

“I have a question. Did you ever happen to go to the Pegasus Galaxy at any time?” Michael raises an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes in thought. He and Lucifer had gone to many places after the Big Bang.

“Maybe. Back before life was seeded, maybe.” Michael answers, it was so long ago, he doesn’t remember. Nothing had been named then.

“Did you lose your sword?”

“My sword?” Michael asks, eyes narrowed. “Gabriel?”

“Seriously, did you lose your sword when you were maybe in Pegasus?”

“It’s possible. Lucifer and I were always leaving them in stupid places back then. Not much to fight, you know?” Michael explains, a fond smile on his face. “Mostly we’d put them down to go and explore something, and we’d just forget where we put them.”

“Okay, that’s majorly worrying.” Gabriel states, closing his eyes. “Because we have an entire planet in Pegasus that reveres your sword and you as their great protector. Because your sword has basically been destroying any Wraith who come through the Stargate, or get within range of the planet.”

“What? That’s impossible.”

“Nope. The Nephilim found it. They set it up to be a weapon. Michael, if there are multiples of yours and Lucifer’s swords scattered around Pegasus, and other galaxies… this could be a disaster.”

“What do you want me to do about it, Gabriel?” Michael asks, sighing heavily. “We left those swords behind eons ago. We left those swords behind eons ago in the _Alternate Universe_. How do we even know the swords are in the same places Lucifer and I left them in here?”

“Because, Raphael and I have been looking into that actually, we think Dad just threw us onto an alternate earth, where only a few things had changed, and I think they only changed based upon where angel graces landed. Lucifer’s created the foundation for an entire belief system, one that transcended universes. Yours created an entire damn forest, and yeah, it exists in our Earth, too. But what if it only exists there because your grace created it here? We’ve encountered a few versions of the Atlantis expedition, and things don’t always go well for them, because I’m not there, or Raphael’s not there. Or just Rodney isn’t there. There’s so many things that happen differently when us or our grace are removed from the situation. I think this Earth is our Earth, but with modifications made based on how we’ll interact with it, and how our graces interacted with it when they landed.”

“What did Raphael’s grace make?” Michael asks, frowning at him, Gabriel sighs.

“We don’t know. Her grace was in a vial when she found it.”

“Someone extracted it?” Michael exclaims, eyes wide.

“Yeah. We still don’t know who.”

“Alright, so we have countless swords belonging to the two most powerful archangels scattered around the place, and on top of that, we have people running around who can extract angelic grace from their organic vessels?” Michael clarifies, rubbing his eyes.

“It would appear so, yes.”

“Amazing. Where’s Raphael?”

“She cut himself on your sword.” Gabriel admits, scowling. “I _told_ Rodney to be careful. But ooohhh no.”

“What happened?”

“They’re going to be grounded for a few weeks, let’s put it that way.”

“Ah. Unfortunate.” Michael says, wincing. Archangel swords did a lot of damage to angel wings, and the wounds hurt like hell. “How’s Atlantis?” Michael asks, changing the subject quickly.

“We’re currently suffering a massive baby boom. Almost every woman on the base right now is pregnant.” Gabriel admits, shaking his head.

“What?” Michael exclaims, laughing. “How’d that happen?”

“One of the biologists brought back a new plant sample from one of the planets we’ve just recently discovered. They didn’t realize it’d boost fertility.”

“And they didn’t think to ask the natives about it?”

“Ooohhh, no. We asked the natives about it _afterwards_ , they found our situation very hilarious. The plant is called Ni Aiana. It’s native to the planet, and grows in abundance. The natives there set up their villages based in the areas of the planet where the counter plant, Toiana, grows in abundance.” Gabriel explains, sighing heavily. “Ni Aiana increases fertility, Toiana decreases it. They use the plants for population control. Villages are set within Toiana fields, and when they need to grow their society, or when couples are newlywed, they retreat to cabins set within the Ni Aiana fields.” Michael bursts out laughing, shaking his head.

“Perhaps from now on your biologists should ask about plants before taking them home?”

“Dad, yes.” Gabriel exclaims, rolling his eyes. “This beats out the Accidental Pot Debacle of 08.”

“Self-explanatory, I take it?”

“Very. But in regards to this Baby Boom. The Aonaia people have agreed to trade Toiana with us, in exchange for aid and protection from the Wraith. And a lot of the people we have living in the city have requested use of the Ni Aiana fields whenever they wish to get the baby making on.”

“I wish you and Atlantis luck with raising all those babies.”

“We’ll need it.” Gabriel answers, making a face. “There’s going to be babies being born all over the place. It’s going to remind me of when our siblings were created.” It is Michael’s turn to make a face at that.

“Four was simply not enough to take care of hundreds.”

“Tell me about it! Ugh.”

 _‘Gabriel, Michael! You need to come. Right now.’_ Raphael suddenly screams at them through the Radio. Michael shares a quick glance with Gabriel before the both of them vanish in a flutter of wings, Michael following the trail Gabriel’s grace leaves behind.

They appear in the middle of a large open styled room, Michael stumbles forward, his hands going to his head as he’s suddenly assaulted with pressure within his mind.

 _‘Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.’_ An unfamiliar voice calls in his mind, nearly drowning beneath the other noise.

 _There’s not room enough in here for three of us!_ Tony exclaims, shoving at the new presence.

 _‘What is happening?’_ Michael hisses, just as the pressure eases.

“Bro?” Gabriel asks, Michael groans and slowly turns to the voice.

“What was that?”

“That was Ally. She’s never felt someone with your power before, and it made her panic.”

“A bit of warning would have been nice!” Michael growls, Gabriel smiles sheepishly.

“Yeah, she’s telling me the same thing. But we don’t exactly have time for this?”

“What’s happening?” Michael demands, standing straighter. Suddenly, he is no longer Special Agent Tony DiNozzo anymore, in any way. He is the Commander of the Heavenly Host now.

“ _Someone_ , not naming any names, _Raphael_ , brought your sword back to Atlantis.” Gabriel says, pointing to the brightly shining entity poking half out of an active Stargate. “It’s stuck. And Raphael apparently can’t move it.”

“Of course she can’t! It was never designed to be compatible with Stargate technology! I’m amazed it’s started to de-materialize at all!” Michael yells, marching towards the Stargate to stare at the sword. “And why in the name of Father did she put it through blade first?! Why is it even out of its sheath?” he rants, looking over the blade.

_Temper, temper._

_Shut up, human._

_Ouch._

“The things I do for you _idiotic little siblings_!” Michael growls, extending his wings and flying straight through the open wormhole to appear on the other side. Where he notes the hilt of the sword is sticking out. “Way to break physics, Raph. Umabel’s so going to gut you.” Michael mutters, reaching forward to grab hold of the hilt, the sword sings the moment Michael’s hands touch it. “Yes, yes, hello, I’m happy to see you, too. But you need to come out of there, now.” He says, shaking his head before he wrenches the sword from the wormhole. The Stargate groans loudly, and the wormhole begins to flicker before the Stargate shuts down entirely.

Michael tucks his sword away in a pocket dimension with all of his others, and then takes a breath, ready to return to Atlantis. Until he remembers what Gabriel had said about his sword protecting the people of this planet.

“I suppose there’s no reason I shouldn’t protect them myself, if I’ve done it the last few thousand years.” Michael says in a huff, before flying up into the planet’s atmosphere. He casts a blessing upon the planet in Enochian, and watches, satisfied, as the entire planet lights up golden for all of a few moments. “There.” He states, before vanishing back to Atlantis.

Michael appears at Gabriel’s side and raises an eyebrow, looking around at all the people staring at the Stargate.

“Humans. Honestly.” He says, causing their attention to snap towards him, some people crying out in shock.

“But you entered an active wormhole.” One of the humans shouts, Michael stares at her strangely.

“Yes?”

“Why aren’t you dead?” Michael looks at her and then turns to Gabriel for an explanation. Gabriel rolls his eyes.

“The humans believe the wormhole to be one way.”

“It is one way!” most of the humans retort. Michael nods his head slowly.

“Right. I forget they’re incapable of manipulating existence as we are.” Michael admits with a little sigh. “If you know how to use them correctly, wormholes can go both ways.” Michael explains to the people watching him. “It’s a doorway. You can enter or exit a doorway from either side.” He shrugs. “What’s the point of a doorway that you can’t exit, and then immediately turn around and re-enter if you don’t like whatever is on the other side? Outside of traps and other such things, of course.” The humans simply blink at him in silent shock. “Right. Well, if that’s all, I’ve got to head on back to Earth. Cases won’t solve themselves, will they?”

“Wait, can I have your sword?” Gabriel asks, as Michael’s getting ready to take off. Michael turns to him with an exasperated look on his face.

“No. When have I ever let you have one of my swords, Gabriel?”

“I know, but we could use it out here.”

“No, Gabriel. Use your own swords.” Michael replies, glaring.

“I can’t! Dad confiscated them when I accidentally destroyed the Tower of Babel!” Michael pauses, before he starts laughing.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Dad was so pissed!”

“It was a tower of dung, okay?!? How was I supposed to know it’d fall over if I tried to rest my sword on it?” Gabriel exclaims, throwing his arms in the air. “It’s not like Dad’s never done stupid shit before! How come His toys never get confiscated?”

“Because Dad pisses off before anyone can call Him on his shit.” Michael answers, snorting. “Or haven’t you figured that out yet?”

“I did, actually. And I’m really pissed off about it. And now I have no swords and I don’t even have my Archangel blade, because Luci stole it. I mean, really.” Michael rolls his eyes and summons an Archangel blade from one of the pocket dimensions he keeps his in.

“Here. Don’t say I never give you anything.” Michael tells Gabriel, handing over the blade. “And for the love of Dad, don’t go stabbing any of our siblings with it!”

“No stabby angelic bodies. Got it.” Gabriel replies, grinning as he flips the blade around in his hand. Michael just sighs heavily and shakes his head, before taking flight and returning to his office, where he finds Fornell sat in front of his desk, glaring darkly.

“Where’d you end up?” Michael asks, eyes wide as he sits in his chair. Fornell turns his glare on him.

“NCIS.” Michael winces in sympathy. “What about you?”

“I had to go save my little siblings from destruction. Again.”

“Ah.”

* * *

_Monkey killing monkey killing monkey._   
_Over pieces of the ground._   
_Silly monkeys give them thumbs._   
_They make a club._   
_And beat their brother, down._   
_How they survive so misguided is a mystery._   
_~Tool, Right in Two_


End file.
